Change

In reflection on Darwin Day and his remarkable discovery of Evolution and the gradual change of all life on Earth it has me thinking about how humanity responds to change. As an atheist change is an integral part to the purpose of my life. I must continue to change and evolve throughout my life span and if during that time I have left a legacy for the next generation then I will be at peace in my death. I also think this holds true for humanity as well. If we are not all here to serve a supreme being then what else do we have but to serve each other and improve upon ourselves, our communities, and the world in which we live.

I have friends that abhor change, they wish for things to be like the “good ol’ days” and immediately equate the word change with negativity. I equate the word change with progress, improvement, growth. Yes there can be change that is unhealthy and does not add to the flourishing of humanity but that is a choice we make not inevitability. Change is going to happen whether we like it or not, it is a fact of all matter; some to evolve and perhaps into something better.

Now that is not how Darwin’s evolution works, change is not for the better or worse, change only occurs because it furthers the reproductive ability of the species but for conscious creatures such as ourselves we now can steer change in a positive or negative direction depending upon our choices. We can use what we know about the world around us and about human experience to make changes that promote human thriving or we can continue to allow the suffering we see today. We can ask ourselves questions like… Is creating scarcity through a monetary system the best way to run an economy? Is consumerism in the best interest of our planet? Does our current political system reflect the intrinsic needs of life on this planet? Is capitalism the best economy strategy to promote human flourishing? Does dividing up our planet with finite resources in specific areas by nations help or hinder the stewardship of those resources? Is it a good idea to allow mythical ideologies to run amuck in socio-economic decision making? Has anyone ever thought of a better way?

My answer is yes and his name is Jacque Fresco. This man will be 100 years old next month and he has devoted his life to answering these questions in such a way to promote the integration of the best of science and technology into a comprehensive plan for a new society based on human and environmental concern. It is a global vision of hope for the future of humankind in our technological age. Fresco is proposing a complete paradigm shift in how humans think about value. What value does human life have? Is it based on what God an individual believes in or how much money they can earn or do all conscious creatures have some other intrinsic value? What value do environmental resources have? Should they be based on how much money they can earn an individual or perhaps on their own carrying capacity to serve all life on this planet? Who or what should be making decisions on behalf of all life on Earth?

There is no other area in human existence that is changing faster than human technology. The exponential growth of technology has been changing the way people live for centuries and is changing the way humans interact with their environment. Here in lies our greatest evolutionary choice to use that technology to integrate human lifestyle in harmony with the environment in a Resource Based Economy or we can continue to use technology to rape and pillage the environment which can ultimately only end in our demise.

From one revolutionary man, Charles Darwin, to another, Jacque Fresco; I urge you to learn more about his visionary plan for our future and open your mind wide to the possibilities.